Wanted: Bosses with Big Hearts

A recent survey by an American staffing agency found that 42% of job seekers would prefer to work for a charitable company.

Recently the agency conducted a survey of over 400 office workers, and asked them: “To what extent does a company’s participation in charitable activities influence your decision to work there?” Seventeen percent of respondents said it matters “a great deal,” and a quarter of them said “somewhat.”

The takeaway message? If you run a business and want people to want to work for you, consider adding an element of kindness to your corporate strategy. Organize clothing drives, host charity runs, or even plan your next office retreat at a soup kitchen instead of inside a hotel boardroom. Co-workers can bond with each other while dishing up hot meals for the homeless.

I work in a company of one, so I don’t do a lot of recruiting. But if I ever expand my business, you can be sure I’ll entice potential job candidates with promises of park cleanups, or perhaps tree planting or barn raising. It certainly sounds rewarding. And I imagine this kind of healthy corporate perk would be a lot more cost-effective than, say, installing an on-site rock climbing wall.